B-1B companion training aircraft

B-1B Pilots Start Supplementary Training With HondaJets

The US Air Force began supplementary flight training for B-1B Lancer pilots using contractor-operated HondaJet HA-420 aircraft under its Bomber Supplemental Trainer for Aircrew Readiness programme. The first military training flight took place on November 2, 2026, near Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, with XSTAR Aviation providing jets, instructors, maintenance and scheduling. The service expects eligible pilots to gain roughly 100 additional flying hours annually, emphasizing instrument procedures, mission planning, handling and crew resource management. Aerial refueling, tactical operations and weapons delivery will still be trained in B-1Bs, preserving bomber sorties for tasks that require the combat aircraft.